creatures that once were men-第17节

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dead　man　and　sighed；　as　he　remembered　that　they　had　lived　

together　for　the　last　three　years。　　Tyapa　entered　holding　his　

head　like　a　goat　which　is　ready　to　butt。



He　sat　down　quietly　and　seriously　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　

teacher's　body；　looked　into　the　dark；　silent　face；　and　began　

to　sob。



〃So　。　。　。　he　is　dead　。　。　。　I　too　shall　die　soon。　。　。　。〃





〃It　is　quite　time　for　that！〃　said　the　Captain；　gloomily。





95　　CREATURES　THAT　ONCE　WERE　MEN





〃It　is；〃　Tyapa　agreed。　〃You　ought　to　die　too。　　Anything　is　

better　than　this。　。　。　。〃



〃But　perhaps　death　might　be　worse？　　How　do　you　know？〃



〃It　could　not　be　worse。　　When　you　die　you　have　only　God　to　

deal　with　。　。　。　but　here　you　have　to　deal　with　men　。　。　。　and　

menwhat　are　they？〃



〃Enough！　。　。　。　Be　quiet！〃　interrupted　Kuvalda　angrily。



And　in　the　dawn；　which　filled　the　dosshouse；　a　solemn　stillness　

reigned　over　all。　　Long　and　silently　they　sat　at　the　feet　of　

their　dead　companion；　seldom　looking　at　him；　and　both　plunged　

in　thought。　　Then　Tyapa　asked：



〃Will　you　bury　him？〃



〃I？　　No；　let　the　police　bury　him！〃



〃You　took　money　from　Vaviloff　for　this　petition　。　。　。　and　I　

will　give　you　some　if　you　have　not　enough。〃　。



〃Though　I　have　his　money　。　。　。　still　I　shall　not　bury　him。〃



〃That　is　not　right。　　You　are　robbing　the　dead。　　I　will　tell　

them　all　that　you　want　to　keep　his　money。〃　。　。　。　Tyapa　

threatened　him。



〃You　are　a　fool；　you　old　devil！〃　said　Kuvalda；　contemptuously。



〃I　am　not　a　fool　。　。　。　but　it　is　not　right　nor　friendly。〃



〃Enough！　Be　off！〃



〃How　much　money　is　there？〃



〃Twenty…five　roubles；〃　。　。　。　said　Kuvalda；　absently。



〃So！　。　。　。　You　might　gain　a　five…rouble　note。　。　。　。〃





96　　CREATURES　THAT　ONCE　WERE　MEN





〃You　old　scoundrel！　。　。　。〃　　And　looking　into　Tyapa's　face　the　

Captain　swore。



〃Well；　what？　　Give。　。　。　。〃



〃Go　to　the　Devil！　。　。　。　I　am　going　to　spend　this　money　in　

erecting　a　monument　to　him。〃



〃What　does　he　want　that　for？〃



〃I　will　buy　a　stone　and　an　anchor。　　I　shall　place　the　stone　

on　the　grass；　and　attach　the　anchor　to　it　with　a　very　heavy　

chain。〃



〃Why？　You　are　playing　tricks。　。　。　。〃



〃Well　。　。　。　It　is　no　business　of　yours。〃



〃Look　out！　　I　shall　tell　。　。　。〃　again　threatened　Tyapa。



Aristid　Fomich　looked　at　him　sullenly　and　said　nothing。　Again　

they　sat　there　in　that　silence　which；　in　the　presence　of　the　

dead；　is　so　full　of　mystery。



〃Listen　。　。　。　　They　are　coming！〃　　Tyapa　got　up　and　went　out　of　

the　dosshouse。



Then　there　appeared　at　the　door　the　Doctor；　the　Police　

Inspector　of　the　district；　and　the　examining　Magistrate　or　

Coroner。　　All　three　came　in　turn；　looked　at　the　dead　teacher；　

and　then　went　out；　throwing　suspicious　glances　at　Kuvalda。　

He　sat　there；　without　taking　any　notice　of　them；　until　the　

Police　Inspector　asked　him：



〃Of　what　did　he　die？〃



〃Ask　him　。　。　。　I　think　his　evil　life　hastened　his　end。〃



〃What？〃　asked　the　Coroner。



〃I　say　that　he　died　of　a　disease　to　which　he　had　not　been　

accustomed。　。　。　。〃





97　　CREATURES　THAT　ONCE　WERE　MEN





〃H'm；　yes。　　Had　he　been　ill　long？〃



〃Bring　him　over　here；　I　cannot　see　him　properly；〃　said　the　

Doctor；　in　a　melancholy　tone。　　〃Probably　there　are　signs　

of　。　。　。〃



〃Now；　then；　ask　someone　here　to　carry　him　out！〃　the　Police　

Inspector　ordered　Kuvalda。



〃Go　and　ask　them　yourself！　　He　is　not　in　my　way　here　。　。　。〃　

the　Captain　replied；　indifferently。



〃Well！〃　。　。　。　shouted　the　Inspector；　making　a　ferocious　face。



〃Phew！〃　answered　Kuvalda；　without　moving　from　his　place　and　

gnashing　his　teeth　restlessly。



〃The　Devil　take　it！〃　shouted　the　Inspector；　so　madly　that　the　

blood　rushed　to　his　face。　　〃I'll　make　you　pay　for　this！　　

I'll〃



〃Good…morning；　gentlemen！〃　said　the　merchant　Petunikoff；　with　

a　sweet　smile；　making　his　appearance　in　the　doorway。



He　looked　round；　trembled；　took　off　his　cap　and　crossed　himself。　

Then　a　pompous；　wicked　smile　crossed　his　face；　and；　looking　at　

the　Captain；　he　inquired　respectfully：



〃What　has　happened？　　Has　there　been　a　murder　here？〃



〃Yes；　something　of　that　sort；〃　replied　the　Coroner。



Petunikoff　sighed　deeply；　crossed　himself　again；　and　spoke　in　

an　angry　tone。



〃By　Cod！　It　is　just　as　I　feared。　It　always　ends　in　your　

having　to　come　here　。　。　。　Ay；　ay；　ay！　God　save　everyone。　　

Times　without　number　have　I　refused　to　lease　this　house　to　

this　man；　and　he　has　always　won　me　over；　and　I　was　afraid。　

You　know　。　。　。　They　are　such　awful　people　。　。　。　better　give　

it　them；　I　thought；　or　else。　。　。　。〃





98　　CREATURES　THAT　ONCE　WERE　MEN





He　covered　his　face　with　his　hands；　tugged　at　his　beard；　and　

sighed　again。



〃They　are　very　dangerous　men；　and　this　man　here　is　their　leader　

。　。　。　the　ataman　of　the　robbers。〃



〃But　we　will　make　him　smart！〃　promised　the　Inspector；　looking　

at　the　Captain　with　revengeful　eyes。



〃Yes；　brother；　we　are　old　friends　of　yours　。　。　。〃　said　Kuvalda　

in　a　familiar　tone。　　〃How　many　times　have　I　paid　you　to　be　

quiet？〃



〃Gentlemen！〃　shouted　the　Inspector；　〃did　you　hear　him？　　I　want　

you　to　bear　witness　to　this。　　Aha；　I　shall　make　short　work　of　

you；　my　friend；　remember！〃



〃Don't　count　your　chickens　before　they　are　hatched　。　。　。　my　

friend；〃　　said　Aristid　Fomich。



The　Doctor；　a　young　man　with　eye…glasses；　looked　at　him　

curiously；　the　Coroner　with　an　attention　that　boded　him　no　

good；　Petunikoff　with　triumph；　while　the　Inspector　could　hardly　

restrain　himself　from　throwing　himself　upon　him。



The　dark　figure　of　Martyanoff　appeared　at　the　door　of　the　

dosshouse。　　He　entered　quietly；　and　stood　behind　Petunikoff；　

so　that　his　chin　was　on　a　level　with　the　merchant's　head。　

Behind　him　stood　the　Deacon；　opening　his　small；　swollen；　

red　eyes。



〃Let　us　be　doing　something；　gentlemen；〃　suggested　the　Doctor。

Martyanoff　made　an　awful　grimace；　and　suddenly　suddenly　sneezed　

on　Petunikoff's　head。　　The　latter　gave　a　yell；　sat　down　

hurriedly；　and　then　jumped　aside；　almost　knocking　down　the　

Inspector；　into　whose　open　arms　he　fell。





99　　CREATURES　THAT　ONCE　WERE　MEN





〃Do　you　see；〃　said　the　frightened　merchant；　pointing　to　

Martyanoff；　〃do　you　see　what　kind　of　men　they　are。〃



Kuvalda　burst　out　laughing。　　The　Doctor　and　the　Coroner　smiled　

too；　and　at　the　door　of　the　dosshouse　the　group　of　figures　was　

increasing　。　。　。　sleepy　figures；　with　swollen　faces；　red；　

inflamed　eyes；　and　dishevelled　hair；　staring　rudely　at　the　

Doctor；　the　Coroner；　and　the　Inspector。



〃Where　are　you　going？〃　said　the　policeman　on　guard　at　the　door；　

catching　hold　of　their　tatters　and　pushing　them　aside。　　But　he　

was　one　against　many；　and；　without　taking　any　notice；　they　all　

entered　and　stood　there；　reeking　of　vodki；　silent　and　

evil…looking。



Kuvalda　glanced　at　them；　then　at　the　authorities；　who　were　

angry　at　the　intrusion　of　these　ragamuffins；　and　said；　

smilingly；　〃Gentlemen；　perhaps　you　would　like　to　make　the　

acquaintance　of　my　lodgers　and　friends？　　Would　you？　　But；　

whether　you　wish　it　or　not；　you　will　have　to　make　their　

acquaintance　sooner　or　later　in　the　course　of　your　duties。〃



The　Doctor　smiled　in　an　embarrassed　way。　　The　Coroner　pressed　

his　lips　together；　and　the　Inspector　saw　that　it　was　time　to　

go。　　Therefore；　he　shouted：



〃Sideroff！　　Whistle！　　Tell　them　to　bring　a　cart　here。〃



〃I　will　go；〃　said　Petunikoff；　coming　forward　from　a　corner。　

〃You　had　better　take　it　away　to…day；　sir；　I　want　to　pull　down　

this　hole。　　Go　away！　or　else　I　shall　apply　to　the　police！〃





100　CREATURES　THAT　ONCE　WERE　MEN





The　policeman's　whistle　echoed　through　the　courtyard。　　At　the　

door　of　the　dosshouse　its　inhabitants　stood　in　a　group；　

yawning；　and　scratching　themselves。



〃And　so　you　do　not　wish　to　be　introduced？　　That　is　rude　of　

you！〃　laughed　Aristid　Fomich。



Petunikoff　took　his　purse　from　his　pocket；　took　out　two　

five…kopeck　pieces；　put　them　at　the　feet　of　the　dead　man；　and　

crossed　himself。



〃God　have　mercy　。　。　。　on　the　burial　of　the　sinful。　。　。　。〃



〃What！〃　yelled　the　Captain；　〃you　give　for　the　burial？



Take　them　away；　I　say；　you　scoundrel！　How　dare　you　give　your　

stolen　kopecks　for　the　burial　of　an　honest　man？　I　will　tear　

you　limb　from　limb！〃



〃Your　Honor！〃　cried　the　terrified　merchant　to　the　Inspector；　

seizing　him　by　the　elbow。



The　Doctor　and　the　Coroner　jumped　aside。　　The　Inspector　shouted：



〃Sideroff；　come　here！〃



〃The　creatures　that　once　were　men〃　stood　along　the　wall；　looking　

and　listening　with　an　interest；　which　put　new　life　into　their　

broken…down　bodies。



Kuvalda；　shaking　his　fist　at　Petunikoff's　head；　roared　and　

rolled　his　eyes　like　a　wild　beast。



〃Scoundrel　and　thief！　　Take　back　your　money！　　Dirty　worm！　Take　

it　back；　I　say　。　。　。　or　else　I　sh